Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047: towards sustainable digital governance and inclusive growth in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64171/JSRD.5.S1.197-201Keywords:
Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, Right to privacy, Digital governance, Viksit Bharat@2047, Sustainable developmentAbstract
The establishment of a secure, rights-respecting, and innovation-friendly digital ecosystem is inextricably linked to India's aspiration to become a developed and inclusive nation by 2047, as envisioned under Viksit Bharat@2047. The enactment of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), is a significant milestone in India's journey toward sustainable digital governance. The Act endeavors to strike a balance between the requirements of economic development, digital public infrastructure, and technological innovation, and the privacy rights of individuals. This paper critically evaluates the DPDP Act, 2023, as a legal and institutional framework for promoting India's digital transformation while simultaneously protecting the fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
The study employs a doctrinal and analytical methodology, based on constitutional jurisprudence, specifically the Supreme Court's decision in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India. It also includes comparative references to global data protection regulations, such as the EU's GDPR. This paper assesses the DPDP Act's main provisions on consent, data fiduciary obligations, cross-border data transfers, and enforcement mechanisms, with an emphasis on their implications for digital inclusion, trust, and accountability. It also investigates the potential of effective data stewardship to enhance India's digital public infrastructure and encourage citizen engagement in the digital economy.
The paper contends that the DPDP Act is a progressive step toward aligning privacy protection with developmental objectives; however, there remain gaps in institutional independence, proportionality, and remedies for data principals. The study concludes by underscoring the necessity of rights-centric governance, regulatory clarity, and robust implementation to ensure that data protection is a fundamental component of India's sustainable and inclusive digital future, in line with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision.
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